Summer Love
by XXTeddyGirlXX
Summary: "Can I kiss you?" Helga's eyes widened and returned to meet his emerald green orbs. "What are you saying?" It's wasn't Summer, Lila, or Rose this time. It was Helga...
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I don't own Hey, Arnold or its characters!

Enjoy!

Summer Love

It was summer time and the gang had all planned to go to the beach for some fun. They would start their ninth grade year when the summer ended. Somehow even though not all of them attended the same school anymore, they had kept in contact since elementary school. Arnold had gone traveling with his parents and hardly saw any of his old class mates but this summer his parents had bought him to spend time with his friends. He'd write letters to them and they would write back.

He was glad to be back in his own hometown where he'd grown up. Gerald was still his best friend, even as he had made many friends his own age in his travels with his parents. Arnold was homeschooled and that had been a big change along with constant travel and adventure with his parents, but it was all worth it. He had found his parents and he didn't plan on leaving them anytime soon. Not for anything in the world…

Arnold, Harold, Gerald, Stinky, Sid, Eugene, Curly, Lorenzo, Iggy, Park, Brainy, Nadine, Rhonda, Phoebe, Helga, Sheena, and Lila were all the ones who made up the group. Arnold hadn't noticed when he was younger, but the boys seemed to outnumber the number of girls.

They had all stopped to buy swimwear and other things they would need at the beach. Gerald was driving one of the large vans and Helga the other. The boys had been crammed into one while the girls had taken the other.

Helga had been browsing through the swimsuits and was about to give up and go with her usual choice, but that's when something caught her attention. It was a pink bikini striped with white lines and a small pink bow on the side. Helga stared at it and hesitated in pulling it out of the rack to take a better look.

She took a deep breath and muttered to herself to stop acting like a coward. She pulled it out and felt the soft silky fabric between her fingers. It was bound to be comfortable and would dry easily…

Arnold had a pair of swim trunks over his arm and a shopping basket filled with stuff his friends had left him with, as he walked around looking for Gerald who he'd lost track of.

"I wonder if this is the tan lotion he wanted. It looks like the one he described."

He turned into another aisle to find Helga holding a bikini. She seemed concentrated on the price tag and Arnold wondered if she planned on buying it.

"Hey, Helga, are you going to buy that?"

Helga looked up at him in surprise but quickly hid it and furrowed her brows, "Of course not, it's ridiculous. I'd never fit into it anyway."

"Oh, well, maybe you could find it in another size."

Helga scoffed and crossed her arms, still holding the swimwear in her hand, "Not, that it isn't obvious but since when do you care what I wear or don't wear, football head."

Arnold shrugged, "I was just trying to help."

"Help?"

"Yeah, it seemed like you really liked it and too tell the truth, I think it looks cute."

Helga inhaled slightly.

_Cute?_

She turned away from him and closed her eyes still acting annoyed, "Like, I'd ever wear something you liked."

Arnold sighed in defeat. Helga hadn't changed much after all the years. Her daily choice of clothing had though. She used like to wear dresses but all she wore were baggy jeans and shirts with a jacket over it. Her hair was always under some beany hat. She still wore shades of pink that deciphered her to be a girl, but her body remained shapeless with all the layers of clothing.

At the moment, her blond yellow hair was braided into two messy braids behind her back and was dressed in a large thin jacket with a pair of shorts that reached her knees and a large oversized muscle shirt layered with what seemed to be a tight pink shirt underneath. Her face hadn't changed much. Her sharp features had softened and her eyes stood out a bit more than usual as she wore mascara which seemed to be the only make up she wore besides the light pink lip gloss.

He turned to leave, "Okay then, I'm just going to go find the others."

Helga frowned when he left and reached for her locket… She still had it, but she had a new photo inside it. Phoebe had gotten it for her. Arnold had sent a photo to Gerald who had been curious as to how his friend had grown to look like about a year ago. Phoebe and Gerald were a thing now, and she'd made a copy of the photo for Helga, without Gerald finding out about it of course.

Helga traced the contour of the image and sighed, "I still can't admit my feelings towards you. It's stupid how immature I still am."

She'd hugged him at the airport without thinking. No one had made much of it as the group of friends had all had their turn at it. She had hoped to tell him about her feelings but somehow she felt unworthy of him… It wasn't that she thought she wasn't smart and intelligent, no, that wasn't the issue.

When she' been younger, beauty hadn't been an issue. She had never been one to fawn over her looks, but now at her growing age, she couldn't help but be self-conscious. Arnold surely wouldn't like what he saw.

Lila had the voluptuous body, Rhonda had the small thin body with the right curves, Phoebe had the petite frame any boy would want to protect, and all the other girls had developed a nice endowment despite the different weights and body broadness, but Helga barley had any chest at least that matched the 'pretty' girls. She hid her body behind all the clothes to hide that fact.

Her mother bought her girly pink cloths but Helga refused to wear them. She also didn't attend proms or parties in formal wear. Not that it really mattered; Arnold was always millions of miles away.

They made it to the beach and the boys made camp while the girls went to find a place to hang out.

Rhonda wagged her finger at the boys before they split up, "You boys better not look at our stuff. Just set up the tents and put our bags inside."

She gave then a stern glare before flipping her long black hair as she turned to leave with the group of girls.

"Later, Lila."

"See you later, Arnold."

Helga crossed her arms and ignored the friendly exchange. Surely, Arnold didn't still hold a crush on lovable Lila.

Lila was her friend now, and both knew how Helga felt towards Arnold.

The boys got to work, with a few complaining about the labor.

"Come on guys, the sooner we finish the more time we have to enjoy ourselves here."

Gerald nodded, "Arnold's right. Let's put some effort to it."

A while later, after all the tents had been set up, Harold decided to go against Rhonda's orders.

"Hey guys, look at this."

He held out a pair of panties, "Rhonda sure has some good things in her bag."

Gerald walked over and snatched them out of Harold's hold, "Man, that's not cool. She told us to stay out of her things."

Arnold and the others gathered around them.

"What's the big deal? We're not taking anything. It's just looking."

Arnold raised a brow and Gerald tossed Rhonda's white undergarment back into the bag, "Still, man they'd kill us if they found out."

Stinky spoke up, "I don't want them to hurt me."

Curly smirked, "They wouldn't hurt us."

Arnold placed his hands on his hips, "Guys, this isn't right."

Lorenzo nodded, "I agree with Arnold here. It's ungentlemanly to invade a woman's personal belongings."

Harold scoffed, "You're just a bunch of babies."

He picked another bag. It belonged to Helga.

"Harold, don't," Arnold was starting to get worried.

"I bet Helga has some pretty ugly things in here."

Lorenzo shook his head, "It's probably just boy stuff."

Sid laughed, "Yeah, cause she's too ugly to be a girl!"

Park, "She sure dresses ugly."

Harold laughed and shook the bag, "She even acts like a boy."

Brainy remained silent as usual and glanced at Arnold. Arnold didn't seem to find it funny but he wasn't denying it either.

Gerald finally spoke up, "Okay guys, Helga isn't the prettiest but she's our friend, so leave her stuff alone and let's go join the girls."

"Oh, alright," Harold placed the bag down and then the boys left to meet up with the girls.

Brainy took a seat on a log near the fire pit they'd bought, "I'll watch the stuff here."

During that time, the girls had been to the showers and were now playing volleyball on the beach.

Helga had removed her jacket but still wore her oversized clothing.

Rhonda decided to comment on it after her team had lost against Helga's team, "Helga, dear, you should change into your swimwear."

"I am."

"Well, that's an interesting fashion you have. Wouldn't you agree, Phoebe?"

"Well, everyone has their own style."

"I suppose, but Helga you're never going to get a boy to look at you if you don't change that hideous attire of yours."

Helga glared, "Maybe, I don't want one."

Rhonda lifted a brow, "Don't tell me you're a lesbian."

Helga wasn't insulted. It wasn't the first time someone had told her that. "What are you scared I'll come on to you?"

Rhonda laughed nervously, she'd made Helga mad, "Of course not. I was simply teasing you. You like boys. I see how you yearn to wear dresses; the thing I don't get is why you don't."

Phoebe bit her lower lip. Helga turned on Phoebe, her best friend, "You told them?!"

"I couldn't let them make bad assumptions about you. They are your friends, Helga."

Helga sighed. She couldn't stay mad at her for long. Phoebe was only trying to protect her anyway.

The gang teamed up again and they went and hanged out. Helga however refused to go into the water. Her clothes would stick to her if she went in. She didn't want that.

The day dragged on and when the sun was going down they all headed back to the camp where Brainy was lighting up the fire. They ate and told stories around the fire. Arnold shared his adventures that he'd partaken with his parents.

Lila decided to ask a question after one of his quests, "Arnold, did you ever find someone you liked liked."

Gerald smirked, "Of course, he's nothing but a ladies man."

"Gerald."

"Come on man, how many hearts did you break?"

The rest wanted to know as well, "Yeah, Arnold, tell us."

Helga remained silent and so did Brainy. They had nothing to say on the subject. In fact, Brainy hardly said anything to begin with.

"Well, there were several girls who I liked, but it never really worked out. I never really could stay long due to my parents always traveling."

Helga rolled her eyes. Of course, it was only natural that Arnold would attract many females.

He'd been attractive as a boy but he was older now. His body had broadened, muscles tone had formed from all his adventures, his limbs were longer and slender, and his face had matured. He no longer wore his hair up but combed back and his iconic hat was gone.

The hat that had symbolized his parents, but he was with them now, so there had been no need to continue to wear it. That is what he had told his friends when they had asked.

Arnold was more attractive than ever and Helga couldn't help but daydream about them being together. She'd never stopped, to be truthful. He still filled many of her poetry books at home in her closet.

"Oh, then maybe you'll find someone soon?" Lila smiled at Arnold sweetly.

They had all planned to stay at the beach for two weeks. The boys had remained entertained for a whole week until they got bored and decided to make it interesting again with a game of truth or dare. They were all sitting around the camp fire as the girls had left to buy dinner for them all.

Everything had been fun and games until Harold decide to dare Arnold to do something inappropriate and out of the ordinary. Streaking? Fine. But what Harold was forcing Arnold to do? It was cruel. At least that was what all the boys were saying.

But was it really cruel to Arnold or was Helga the true victim here?

"I dare you to 'sleep' with Helga Pataki."

Arnold and the other boys weren't sure why Harold was always the one who always picked on her. If it was due to her bullying him as a child or if he simply didn't like her, they were not sure. Maybe, he just had a silly crush on her and refused to admit it…

"What are you crazy?! She'll pumble him for even trying," Gerald stood up.

Stinky shook his head, "I doubt it."

Sid agreed, "Yeah, she's a girl, even though she may not seem like it. Girls like affection."

Lorenzo, "That is true. All you would need is to flatter her somehow. My mother says that a girl's only wish is to be loved."

Brainy once again simply watched Arnold's actions and reactions. Brainy loved Helga, but he knew that she loved Arnold. He wouldn't let anyone hurt her. Much less Arnold.

"I'm not so sure about this you guys."

"Oh, come on Arnold, don't be such a goody shoes."

"It's not like it'll be your first time or anything man," Gerald winked at him.

"Gerald, I told you that was a secret!"

Harold seemed jealous, "What, you already took some girl?"

"It wasn't just any girl. I loved her."

"Love!" All the boys seemed surprised except Gerald who simply nodded.

"Yeah, we wrote to each other after I had to leave the village where she lived, but she broke up with me. She said that she had found someone who could be with her physically."

"Harsh." Gerald gave his close friend a pat on the back.

Harold stood up towering over them all, "So, what, are you going to do it?"

"What happens if I refuse?"

Harold had to think it over before replying, "You have to… run naked at the beach."

"That's not so bad."

"It has to be during the day and in front of a whole crowd."

Arnold scrunched up his face, in concern, "I can't do that."

Sid placed a hand on Arnold's shoulder, "I would take Helga. I'd rather face her than have people see me running around naked."

"Come on Arnold, surely Helga isn't that ugly."

"Yeah, just pretend she's someone else, like Lila."

"Yeah, Lila is really pretty."

Arnold looked into the fire, remaining silent, as his friends continued to talk about how pretty other girls were.

_Helga being pretty isn't the issue here. Grandpa and father always told me that women should be respected. Still, she would just beat me up. Yeah, she'd reject me and Harold would have nothing else but to call it off._

Arnold smirked darkly at his plan, "Alright, you're on."

A/N: Well, I never imagined writing something for Hey, Arnold, but it was begging to be written. I ran into a fan drawing of Helga and couldn't help but be inspired to write this. I'm not sure if they are in character, due to the fact I haven't seen the series in a long time, but I hope to get reviews for this.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Enjoy! Hopefully, I caught all the grammar mistakes.

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Chapter 2: Summer Love Part 2

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The next day Arnold planned out on how to go about the dare. He knew it wouldn't work but he had to show some effort otherwise Harold might not believe it and force him to streak in public.

Gerald on the other had told Phoebe about it.

"They dared Arnold to do what?"

"It's the truth. It was either that or force him to public humiliation."

"I see…"

"Arnold really didn't want to but he suddenly agreed to it. I mean you can't blame the guy."

"Arnold's always had good intentions, but this is uncalled for."

"Yeah, Helga isn't really popular for her looks either."

She knew Gerald hadn't meant to insult her close friend, but she couldn't help but feel a surge of anger at that remark.

"Helga is very pretty."

"I didn't say she was ugly."

"Everyone always criticizes her looks. It's just the way she dresses. She really is pretty when she's out of those clothes."

Gerald smirked playfully at his girlfriend, "What exactly do you and Helga do together?"

Phoebe glared at him and nudged his side, "You know what I mean. Don't turn everything into a dirty game."

"Sorry, just teasing. Still it's hard to believe Helga could look girly at all."

"You and all the other boys, I suppose."

In the meantime Helga was staring off into the sea docks. She had decided to wear something a little less baggy today. It was hot at the beach and layers didn't help. Plus, she was running out of clothes and Phoebe insisted she just wear her swimsuit.

Helga did just that. She wore a pink one piece swimsuit and her usual long baggy shorts with sandals. She had decided to wear her hair up in a ponytail that day instead of the usual messy braids.

Her blue sapphire eyes stared sadly at the ocean waves. Her family hadn't changed much. Her parents still didn't pay attention to her and they still fought constantly. Her mother was less of an alcoholic due to the fact that Olga took their mother out from time to time and her father was always glad when Olga stayed for dinner.

Helga didn't mind her older sisters company, even now that she had transferred over to teach in the city. She hardly spent time with her anyway…

Helga closed her eyes and enjoyed the summer breeze.

Arnold found her there a few minutes later. He had recognized her yellow hair and her stance.

"Helga, you busy?"

She turned to look at the only boy who'd every shown her compassion. The only boy who she'd kissed so passionately and held an unhealthy obsession over him all her life.

"Do I look busy to you?"

"No, but you seem deep in thought."

Helga sighed, "Well, I don't exactly have anything better to do. Everyone went to do other stuff for the day."

Arnold leaned against the wooden railing, "I don't have anything to do, either."

"What do you want me to do about it? It's your problem not mine."

"Well, since we don't have anything else to do. – We should go be bored together."

Helga glanced at him and met his green emerald eyes, but quickly looked away as her heart began to race.

Arnold had always liked her blue sapphire eyes, but he's never been able to look at them for that long. She'd always look away.

"Whatever floats your boat, football head?"

The rest of the day passed by and Arnold was hesitant about what he had planned. Surely he would fail but the idea of doing something like that to Helga kind of freaked him out. It wasn't that he found her to be unattractive. She was attractive and even though he refused to admit it out loud he'd felt all her curves when she'd hugged him at the airport so there was no way he could mistake her for a boy at all.

Today though, Helga was wearing her swimsuit exposing her curves. She was slim and he'd noticed the slight muscle tone on her arms and legs, but her frame was small and even as her breasts weren't overly obvious she did have small mounds that caught his attention. Her hips were wide and her overly exposed skin was smooth like her face.

The sun was going down and they were heading back to camp to meet up with the rest of the group. Arnold was leading the way and Helga wasn't really worried until they reached an old shack.

"Great going, Arnold, you got us lost. And it's already dark."

Helga stopped her bantering when he grabbed her wrist and pushed her against the outside wall of the shack. Helga furrowed her brows and frowned, about to question Arnold's sudden roughness.

"What's the big deal? Is-"

Her words were cut short when Arnold pressed his forehead against hers and his hot breath fell on her face. She instantly became flustered and looked away from his heated stare. Helga pressed her hands against the wood behind her as Arnold had his hands against the wall with his elbows on either side of her head.

"Helga?"

His voice was husky and she closed her eyes as a shiver ran down her spine at his tone of voice and closeness.

"What?"

"Can I kiss you?"

Helga's eyes widened and returned to meet his emerald green orbs.

"What are you saying?"

She was stammering. Sure, there had been other boys who had gone out with her and kissed her. She had tried to forget him. To forget her Arnold had been impossible though and she'd long but given up.

"Would it be alright if I touched your lips, then?"

Helga's lips parted slightly as his finger traced her lips gently as he stared at them with half closed eyes. Helga wasn't sure what to do. She had dreamed about this moment millions of times, in different ways. Yet the fear of rejection was still present and she wanted to push him away and punch the daylights out of him before he could have a chance to hurt her.

But his touch had frozen her. It had been years since she'd been near him and talked to him. She had been happy to just see him, hear his voice and laughter. He was kind as always…

Arnold waited for her to shove him away but it never came so he leaned forward and closed his eyes to meet her soft dry lips.

Helga automatically raised her hands and placed them on his shoulders for support. She was rigid and unresponsive to his tender kiss…

Helga never stopped him as he continued to kiss her and Arnold never found a reason to stop. Truthfully he didn't want to and that bought back memories… it wasn't about his past love lives but about Helga.

She had always been so mean and a bit of a bully, but he's always known of her insecurities and that she was indeed a good person. Her parents never paid much attention to her and he knew that she yearned for love and attention even though she seemed to reject it from everyone she came into contact with.

Even then he had always denied it to himself before, but he believed that he had hidden feelings for her. Helga was beautiful in her own way. Her blond hair, blue eyes, the way she carried herself, and the authority she commanded others with. It was all admirable. He liked her… a lot. Every time he had been teamed up with Helga or the hanged out with her, it had always turned out to be very pleasant in the end.

Over the years, he'd thought about her. Wondered as to how she had lived all these years and if she'd changed. She had, but not that much. She'd never been popular with all their friends nor had she ever cared for her appearance, except on occasions.

His hands caressed her face as he continued to kiss her and Helga found herself melting into the kiss.

_This must be a dream…_

Helga pulled him closer to her, wrapping her arms around his neck and tangling her fingers into his silky blond hair. She smiled into his kiss and Arnold moved his hands down to her waist. He then slowly broke the kiss and closed his eyes pressing his forehead against hers. Her cool breath fell on his face as he tried to figure out what to do next. Surely, she'd stop him. Wouldn't she?

Arnold took her hand and took a step back from her. Her sapphire blue eyes looked up at him in search of something and that's when he began to lead her into the old shack.

It was empty inside. Nothing more but sand…

He kissed her again as they stood in the center. Helga instantly went along with it. She wouldn't question him. Why would she? This was what she had waited for all her life.

She'd always wanted Arnold to return her hidden feelings of affection. She was walking on air.

His skin was warm against her skin and left a tingling feeling behind. His lips left her mouth and began to trail down her neck to her collar bone. With her eyes half closed she reached to touch his hand that was on her shoulder and gently placed it over his. Arnold didn't stop his advances and soon she found him pulling down her swimsuit strap down. She didn't stop him. Helga didn't want him to stop, but some part of her began to feel shy.

_Would he like what he saw?_

Apparently he liked the sight of her bare shoulder as his fingers traced over her bare skin in silence. Helga swallowed and stared at the sand beneath their feet. Arnold's shirt was on the floor…

_When did that come off?_

Arnold found himself unable to stop. He had intended to leave and apologize for kissing her so intently, but she had somehow forced him to stay. Whether it had been the look in her eyes outside the shack or the warmth of her soft skin pressed against his as they kissed the second time, he was not sure.

He pulled her swimsuit down to her waist revealing her torso to him. Her rib cage was slightly outlined in the moonlight coming through the window. His emerald green eyes stared at her small round mounds and made his way down to her belly button. Her stomach was flat and his hand reached out to graze his fingers over it to see if she was just as soft there.

Arnold was taking more than a few seconds to look at her and a deep rough color found its way to Helga's face by the time she decided to push him down on the ground and straddle him. It was his turn to blush as she forced his mouth open and pressed her hands against his firm toned chest.

Helga was latched on to him firmly in lip-lock and Arnold couldn't help but let out slight moan as she pressed her body more confidently against him. Helga set out a content sigh as she pulled away from the kiss and began to lead a trail of kisses across his jawline.

His hair smelled of the salty ocean and felt oh so silky against her fingers.

Then suddenly his kisses stopped and he pulled away from her. Arnold covered his face with his hand and shook it furiously.

"Sorry, Helga, I just can't let this continue."

Helga's brows furrowed together at his shaky words.

_Could it be that this was all too good to be true?_

"What's wrong, Arnold?"

His emerald green eyes were filled with guilt, "Nothing, it's nothing. I just can't continue doing this with you."

Helga felt a pang of hurt in her heart. This is what she had feared all her life.

_Arnold is rejecting me… I knew it would happen but still… I had hope…_

She pulled her swimsuit back on and rubbed her arm. Tears stung her eyes, but she tried to keep her emotions collected and calm.

"Yeah, guess I'm not as swell as you thought I'd be hu? I know I wasn't hiding much under all the layers…"

She chuckled in a hurt tone and ended up flinching at her own agony.

Arnold reached out to her but couldn't quite find the strength to touch her again.

"No, that's not what I meant at all."

"You don't have to lie, Football head."

"But I'm not."

"I know it's not in you to tell me that I'm ugly. It's alright. I get it."

His eyes tried to meet her sapphire blue eyes but she refused to meet them.

"Helga, really that's not what I meant at all. I know you don't dress pretty like all the other girls, but I don't care. I know you're beautiful in your own way."

She turned away from the blond boy, "Yeah, in my own un-pretty way."

He grabbed her arm and made her turn to look at him, "I'm serious, Helga."

"Whatever."

He released her and shook his hands in anguish, "Look, I just don't want you to think I did it for a bet."

Helga's eyes looked up at him in a suspicious manner, "What? Why would I think that?"

Arnold closed an eye, "Harold, wanted me to sleep with you."

"What?! All of this was some damn bet! So, I'm that ugly that you can't even take me in a bet!"

"No, that's not it at all!" Arnold waved his hands in front of him.

Helga bit her cheek. She wanted to cry and run away but she was tougher than that. She was a Pataki after all.

"I had planned on you beating me somewhat and that way the bet could be called off. But it didn't turn out that way."

Helga slapped him and growled in anger, "What the hell?! Football head!"

Arnold had been thrown off balance and now he was sitting on the ground again, "Helga, I really do like you a lot. It's just… I couldn't tell you."

He looked away with a blush on his face, "I thought for sure you'd hit me or laugh if I even mentioned my attraction towards you."

Helga stared at him in surprise.

What is he saying?

"Look, Helga, I just didn't want to go through with my earlier advanced… because I really want to do this the right way and form a formal relationship with you first."

"What?"

"I understand that you're mad at me, but really I wouldn't ever do anything to hurt you on purpose, Helga."

The next morning the whole group found Harold buried near the shoreline with a bucket on his head and with a red marker the word MORON had been written on it.

"I guess Helga found out about the bet, hu Harold," Gerald smirked at his whimpering friend who had always been a bit of a bully to everyone.

"I wonder what happened to Arnold." Sid flinched at the thought.

"He and Helga are finally where they're supposed to be." Phoebe smiled as she stared up at the boardwalk.

Helga was in a white dress with her hair loose and she was holding Arnold's hand as he stared into her eyes lovingly.

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A/N: Wow! Thanks for all the reviews! I really appreciate it! I didn't think I would get so many reviews and followers! Thanks so much and I'm glad you all liked it. Review!


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